Toy kite



Nov. 18,1947. wwwH-ALEY j 2,431,289

TOY KITE Filed Aug. 9, 1946 Win-fre d Whal'e/g 'Il' @my y l. Lgf

Patented Nov. 18, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEv TOY KITE v Winfred W. Whaley, Greensboro, N. C. Application August 9, 1946, serial No. 689,495 claims. (c1. :n4-,153i

This invention relates to toys and has spcial reference to toy kites.

One important object of the invention is to provide an improved general construction for toy kites.

A second important object of the invention is to provide a kite having four Wings which are foldable to lie tlat, one on another, the kite having improved means to hold the wings expanded in position for use.

A third important object of the invention is to provide a kite of this description with improved bracing means for the wings.

A fourth important object of the invention is to provide such a kite with novel means to automatically overcome lateral swinging and diving movements and to counteract such movements.

A fifth important object of the invention is to provide a novel bridle arrangement for attaching the cord used in flying the kite to the kite body.

With the above and other objects in View the invention consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and particularly claimed.

In the accompanying drawing like characters of reference indicate like parts in the ,several views, and:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete kite showing one form as it appears when flying.

Figure 2 is a view of the kite as it appears when the wings are in folded position for transport or packing.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the wings and s'tiffening braces as they appear before assembly.

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the wings and other papers as they appear before assembly.

Figure 5 is a perspective view sho-wing two of the braces removed from the other parts of the kite and also showing the run of the brace cord.

Figure 6 is an enlarged broken perspective View of one of the braces.

Figure '7 is an enlarged perspective view of the novel bridle arrangement used herein.

Figure 8 is a sectional detail showing the manner in which a Segment of the brace cord is wound on a drum which forms part of the bridle arrangement.

Figure 9 is a perspective View showing a second form of the invention.

In the embodiment of the invention as shown in Figures l to 8 there is provided twopairs of wings made of paper or other like material. Each pair ofwings is made from an elongated rectangular sheet III having its corners bevelled asat I I. Each sheet is folded along its longitudinal median line-to present a pair of wings I 2., With these pairs of wings two pairs of braces or stiffe'ners I3 are employed. Each of these braces has an elongated central portion or shank I4 and a pair/of end portions or heads I5. The heads are about twice as Wide as the Shanks and the headsare'in alinement and offset with respect to the `shanks sothat the-center lines of each pair. of heads are in alinement with one side of the respective shank. The braces are assembled in pairs with thev sides of the Shanks alined with.the center lines of thev heads in contact.` One` end of each brace lies on one fside of one pair of the wings whilethe other end of such brace lies on the opposite lside of` they other Vpair of wings. Also therends of the .heads project beyond the side edges of the wings. .This

arrangement is clearly shown in Figure 3.V VEach headY I5 is provided with a vpair of inwardly extending and converging slots` I iik spaced equallyV from the center line of the respective head. 'This is an important feature of the kite since, bythis construction the center lines of the four heads in a pair of the braces lie in the same plane, suchk plane being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.`

of the kite.

The two pairs of wings I0 are held together with their fold lines in contact by means of strips rof-paper or the like II. Also similar strips I8`hold 'I6 so that the brace ends cannot slip along the cord. 'Each of these cords has its windings so spaced as to have two parts of such lengths 'as will hold two ofthe wings at right angles to each other when these parts are .drawn taut as at2|l.Y

At the rear or tail end of the kite the spacing of the windings is such as to provide a cord portion 2| which will also be taut when the kite is set up ready to y. I To set up the kite the ends 22 of each cord are brought together and tied as shown best in Figure 5. The cord at the front ofthe kite has a part 23-which is slightly slack when the kite .is set up and this part 23 forms a bridle cord'for the attachment of a bridle and the cord usedfor flying the kite. This part corresponds to the part 2I at the tail of the kite. With this arrangement of the braces and cords each cord lies in the same planeY as the respective pair of braces to whichv it is attached and consequently there is no angular stress exerted by the cords `tendingto biasone Wingfwith respect toanother provementoverwthe usual notchipg used in gmtanyw kite sticks? andfbrace's Linf` that the; :,use ot thesef, elongatedsh'anks permits the wings" to be" folded substantially flat on one another. To accomplish such folding it is only necessary to untie the brace cord ends whereupon the braces may be swunggm.

about the longitudinal axis of the kite wings brought together as in Figure 2.*

and, Waal? Y 4 extending around the kite from end to end of said set.

2. In a toy kite, a plurality of pairs of wings, each pair consisting of a sheet of suitable material folded on a longitudinal line, said pairs abutting along said fold lines, spaced sets of braces extending transversely of said wings and having ends projecting beyond the lateral edges thereoneach setllof braces consisting of a pluralityjoi'said braces eachY having its ends forming alined heads and'having an elongatedand reduced shank of substantially one half the width offthe heads and offset to lie at one side of the center lines of said heads, each set of braces having thevcenter'lines of its heads in a commonv plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of The automatically operatingqbridleisgndicatedgw Yi11 e 1 lfll5s aJldbPSecOrds secured to the ends of in general at 24 in Figures 1, b'7 and 8, certain 1 because of the small scale of that ligure and to-avoidzconfusion; This lbridle is provided with@ a-itiiangularibody 2 5;f-.ha vng at its.y basal Vang1es a.: pair o'ff 'eyes` 26 whereby: itis;- slidablymounted f( on thebridle cordfportion- I9.' At its-,remaining angleA the fbodyf251is .provided with al hole. ;2.7 for' attachment f of the` cord 28? by;A which Vthe kite is:

ii'owm AAbrac'ket 29 extendsfrorn thee-basal edge of f the'- body "25-an"d"supports ashaft -30y one end off; extendsJ over th'e 'body25 fand" carriesl shajft is ben toV provide apendulum (arm` 32 carllim aridcord arejoarangedithat swing; the arm in 'one direction effectswmvoverectip f, nakit :"rhus,V ifA uigright `sident the kite; tiltsdogfwnwl rdlyfthelbridle.' .willbe automatically mOVdt W mit 'se than@thenghtsees tpfbriris thefleft QW until ,42116119111111111111 asignar-malincutrau downwardly-thebrdle will more tov/,arci` and ermetica wil-1 bemade is substantially tha-tpreviously described. but-f thisi formshasfnairs o f; wings ,TAY shaped; toisimulate braces 3 5 held Vtog the. wings f by Dthen strips;L 36;

bridle Iper-tion 38a tofwhich theiiiying cord-may be directly;attached,V Obviously, however,4 the-cord 28may be connectedto thekitethrough the typef rial folded :on a? iongitdinal une; said: pairsabut: ting allongsaid fold lines', spaced sets (5f-braces eX- tending. tra`nsve`r'sely of lsaid f Wingsand having ends projecting beyond vthe lateral edges-thereof;

' t itslextremitya weight@ bqppsf, The

v "thaieft sidev of thakite, and 'the pullgofftlie .kitegstring willbe brought close-Ii ,t0 ther-left electine greater; pull -downw rdlyf 011th@ position. Similarly, if the left sid movesg eachsset, offsaid ibraceslconsistingf of a Aplurality ofysubstantaillyvone-half 1 the width .oi ithefheads lines fats heads n;av commonhlane, andffbracef eacl''s'e'tofbraces and extending around the Ykite reference characters being omitted frorf- Figi-ire? fIOm'feld 150 @11d 0f said set, the PGrtOns 0f the cords between the ends lying in the same plane as thecenteriinesf of said heads.

3. In a toy kite, a piuraiity`r of pariset; wings-,

eachfpair consisting. ofgasheet ofsuitable material foldedon a longitudinal line,- saidpairslabutr, ting along said fold lines, spaced sets of bracesieXr..

tending. transverselyof said wings and having ends projecting beyond the lateral edges thereof,

eachsetofsaid braces Vconsisting of a paeirof saldi bracesieachhaving its ends forming alined heads and having an elongated and reduced shank of:4

substantiallyone-half the width of the-headsand offset'to lie atone side of the center lines ofgsaid heads, each set of braceshaving'the center'lines;A Y

of'itsheads in a commonplane perpendicularto the;longitudinal axis of the kite, and bracecords secured tothe ends `o f each pair of braces .and ex-1. tendingaround the/kite fromend toendof'said;

around the portionvof the brace between` the slots.)

4.- Ifn a toy-kite, aplurality of'pairsof wings,

eachpair consisting of a'sheet of suitablematen` rial folded on a longitudinal line, saidpairs abuttingfalong said fold lines, spaced setsrof braces'. extending transversely of said wings and having.:

end sfprojectingbeyond the lateral edges thereof,

brace-cords securedto the ends of eachset .of

braces and extending around the kite from end tofendrofsaid set, one of said brace cords having' a bridle portion extending transversely ,of the kite, anda lbridle for attachment of a flying oord slidablymounted on said bridle portion and in-4 cluding means moving the bridle along the cord toward-a respective side of the kite upon downward tilting of the opposite side of the kite.

5. `In a toy kite, a plurality of pairs of wings,

each pair consisting of a sheet'of'suitable mate` rial folded on a longitudinal line, said pairs abutting along said fold lines, spaced sets of braces extending transversely of said wings and having ends projecting beyond the lateral edges thereof,

ibrace cords secured tol the ends of each lset of braces and extending around .the kite from end to end of said set, one of said brace cordsfhaving Va bridle portion extending transversely*- of the kite,v

vand a bridle for attachment of a flying cord slid-k ablymounted on said bridle portion and including means moving the bridle alongr the cord toward-"a Y respectiveside of the kite upon downward tilting movementof the opposite side of theflite, -said means including a drum around which said bridle i portion; of the cord-iswound withiat. least one;

5 turn, a shaft on which said drum is xed, and a pendulum fixed to said shaft and normally holding the drum central of said bridle portion.

WINFRED W. WHALEY.

REFEREN CES CITED Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Zimmerman Oct. 3, 1899 Craig Mar. 28, 1911 Pantchei Dec. 8, 1925 Hopkins Oct. 13, 1936 

